Harpia – Harpy eagle
The world’s most spectacular robust eagle species serves a critical ecological role in their ecosystem
Harpy eagles have black bodies, fierce eyes, and flamboyant facial feathers. They are dark gray on top and whiter on the bottom, with a distinct dark breast band. They are excellent at conserving energy because they never soar high but fly beneath the forest canopy, snatching monkeys and sloths with their powerful talons.
They are non-migratory, and the pair requires several square kilometers (several square miles) of undisturbed forest to thrive. Every three years, a female produces only one chick. Both parents incubate their eggs and fiercely defend their young. This bird has been wiped out of much of its historic range due to logging, destruction of nesting places, and poaching.
Species in this genus
Harpy eagle
The world’s most spectacular and most robust eagle species serves a critical ecological role in the ecosystem they live in